SOUTH BEND – Chris Pieters launched a two-run homer and every batter in the starting lineup for South Bend recorded at least one hit as the Cubs sunk the Lake County Captains 15-2 on Wednesday night in front of a crowd of 4,907 at Four Winds Field.

Jose Paulino (W, 4-2) got the start for South Bend, the Class-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, and turned in a strong performance, tossing 7 innings and earning his fourth win in his last five starts. Juan Hillman (L, 3-2) took the loss as the Cubs knocked him around for eight earned runs in just five innings of work.

After both pitchers threw a pair of scoreless innings, South Bend took the lead in the bottom of the third. First baseman Joe Martarano led off the inning with a double down the left field line. A sacrifice bunt advanced Martarano to third and with two outs, catcher Alberto Mineo grounded a single back up the middle that scored Martarano and gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead.

South Bend broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth inning as the Cubs plated four runs, all with two outs. Center fielder D.J. Wilson got the rally started with a walk. Pieters followed with a single to put runners at first and second. Martarano got his second hit of the game with a single to right that scored Wilson and advanced Pieters around to third.

A balk scored Pieters for the third Cubs run of the game before second baseman Yeiler Peguero walked, putting runners at first and second. Third baseman Andruw Monasterio completed the rally by lacing a two-run double down the left field line as the Cubs took a 5-0 lead into the fifth inning.

Lake County, the Class-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, got on the board in the top of the fifth against Paulino. Center fielder Conner Capel walked to lead off the inning and left fielder Michael Tinsley quickly brought him home with a triple off of the left-center field wall. After Paulino set the next two batters down in order, shortstop Luke Wakamatsu grounded a single through the hole into left that scored Tinsley and cut the Cubs lead to 5-2.

That was as close as the Captains would get for the rest of the night as the Cubs immediately responded with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Designated hitter Austin Upshaw led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a grounder back to the mound. Shortstop Isaac Paredes drove Upshaw home with a single through the left side. Two batters later, Pieters turned on a first pitch fastball and launched it over the right field fence to extend the Cubs lead to 8-2.

The Cubs continued to pile on the runs in the bottom of the eight inning against Captains’ reliever Ryan Colegate. With the bases loaded and one out, Monasterio was hit by a pitch, scoring Wilson. Two batters later, Upshaw walked to force home Pieters and extend the Cubs lead to 10-2. Left fielder Kevonte Mitchell continued the Cubs’ barrage as he launched a bases-clearing triple off the right field wall that made the score 13-2. Wilson came to the plate a couple batters later, for the second time in the inning, and ripped a triple past the first baseman and down the right field line, plating the final two runs of the game.